


You Punk Were Always Impossible

by Nanerich



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: But Civil War doesn't matter, But mostly fluff, Engagement, Gen, Light Angst, Past Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers, Rebecca is still alive, but she never married, kind of until Civil War, post ca:tfa, promised engagement
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23106358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanerich/pseuds/Nanerich
Summary: Rebecca's calm life in the retirement home is turned upside down once more, when all of a sudden Steve, who to her recollection died about seventy years ago, stands in her room, here to make good on a promise he made to her 81 years ago.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Rebecca Barnes Proctor & Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Rebecca Barnes Proctor & Steve Rogers
Comments: 8
Kudos: 83





	You Punk Were Always Impossible

**Author's Note:**

> I was prompted by a post on tumblr I cannot find anymore. If it's yours, or you know who's it was, I'm happy to give credit where credit's due :)

“Ms Barnes?” After a soft knock, Nurse Moira poked her head through Rebecca's door.

“What is it, dear?” Rebecca looked over at the woman and put her book down.

“You have a visitor.”

“Oh, I thought Adelaide wasn't going to come around this week.”

“No, Ms Barnes, there is a charming young man here, who'd like to see you”, she smiled.

Huh. Rebecca was pretty sure that the only charming young men she knew, worked here at the nursing home. Well, except for Philip, her godson. Though it would be very unlikely for him to visit on a Wednesday morning.

Nurse Moira turned around, probably to the man in question and gestured at Becca's door.

“Thanks.” He stepped into the room. And Rebecca could not believe her eyes. “Hey Becca.”

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me!” With what was probably a new record time for her, she jumped up from her chair and dashed straight towards the visitor. “Steve? Is that really...” She cupped his face, pulled him a little down, so she could properly inspect who she was pretty sure was a) dead and b) six years older than her, even though the man standing in front of her didn't look older than thirty. “Is that really you?”

“Yeah”, he nodded with the widest smile. “I know it's weird, but it's me.”

“Oh my!” She wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “I missed you, so, so much!”

“I missed you, too.” Steve held her tight, leaning down just enough so he could rest his head on hers, while she pressed her face against his chest. It may have been 70 or so years, but Becca basked in the familiarity of his touch, his scent and her eyes filled with tears.

“Becca, you know damn well that if you start crying, so will I”, Steve laughed, but he was clearly choked up.

“Tough”, she sniffled, “that's just what you get for coming back from the dead.”

“Fair enough.”

Becca leaned back and looked up at him. “Steven Grant Rogers, you always were an impossible punk.”

“I think that's a compliment.”

“Yeah.” Without missing a beat, she boxed against his arm, as hard as she could.

“Ouch!”, he cried out, his face falling into offended confusion. “What was that for?”

“For dying after promising me you'll come back home! And this”, she hit his other arm, “is for you and Bucky needing to be self-sacrificing idiots!”

“I'm so sorry, I really am! We...”

“I'M NOT DONE YET! This”, she boxed against his stomach, “is for taking seventy years to come back.”

“Are you done?”

“One more. How DARE you look that good at 94?”

“That isn't actually my fault”, he defended himself, his arms raised up defensively.

Not that she had actually managed to hurt him; as fit as she was for her age, she was an old woman in her late eighties and Steve was – apparently still – in the prime of his life. Whatever Howard Stark had cooked up back then, it still worked wonders.

“Well, how about you and me go for a nice cup of coffee and you can tell me what the hell happened.”

Becca grabbed her purse and her walking stick and linked her free arm with Steve's.

“I don't suppose Mildred's is still open?”

“'Fraid not. But the one here in the park is just as good.”

* * *

After Steve had finished his story, Rebecca could only stare at him. “So, let me get this straight: you didn't actually die, you were just... deep-frozen?”

“Something like that. Don't ask me how they defrosted me, though; Bucky was always the science nerd.”

“Yeah... They didn't thaw my brother out with you by any chance?”

His smile dropped and he shook his head. “I'm sorry.”

“Not your fault.” She put on a smile, but Steve saw how much it pained her, and he got it. He felt just the same. Not exactly the same, to him all that was only weeks ago, not seventy years... “Besides”, she added, “I have made my peace with that. With losing you as well. Thank you, for that very unnecessary heartbreak.”

“I can't tell you how sorry I am.”

“I know you are. I know my Stevie after all”, she added with a grin.

“Yeah, you do. So, tell me about your life! What happened to you? Did you become a lawyer?”

“I did”, she smiled proudly, “eventually. I didn't get into a lawschool until '61, I tell you, it was a lot of work and fights to get through. But it was definitely worth it, I was one hell of an attorney.”

“I don't have any doubts, because you, my dear, are fierce.”

“You have no idea...”

“Oh, yeah I do”, Steve laughed, “I have been on the receiving end of your fierceness plenty of times.” She could get down right scary; almost as much as Steve's Mum.

“Well, you deserved it every time. I didn't get married. I don't feel like I missed out on anything though, all my nieces and god-children were enough for me.”

“Oh wow. Lizzie, Ruth... Are they...”

“No”, she shook her head, “you missed Lizzie by about four years. Ruthie, she… she got sick, just after the war ended.”

“Oh.” Steve’s heart just broke into a million pieces. The Barnes-girls were like sisters to him, and knowing he’d really never see the two again really hurt.

“Yeah... Lizzie did the whole housewife thing though, got married, has two amazing daughters, Jamie and Stephanie. Can you guess after whom they are named?”

“She named her daughters after us?” Oh, Steve felt his eyes starting to sting and filling with tears. This was so bizarre yet so amazing!

“Yeah. Jamie is 57, works in Seattle at an advertising firm, she has two sons, Richard and Martin, wonderful boys, both in college at the moment, Richard doing IT and Martin becoming a teacher. Stephanie is 55, lives in Washington, she studied politics and works actually in the White House. Being named after Captain America probably helped with that”, she giggled. “Anyways, she has a daughter, Melissa, who works at a publishers, and she is going to be married soon!”

“Wow.” So much information about so many people Steve should know but didn't. “I can't wait to meet them”, he just smiled.

“They'll be ecstatic to meet you too, Uncle Steve.”

He couldn't keep the snorted laugh in anymore. “Uncle Steve?” That sounded somehow weirdly nice, yet all kinds of wrong at the same time.

“That's you, believe it or not.”

“It is not the most improbable thing that happened in the last few weeks… So, Lizzie’s husband… Do I know him?”

“You do”, she grinned, “on the third of April 1954, she became Mrs George Davis.”

“No.” Steve’s jaw hit the ground. “She married little Georgie? Seriously?” Little Georgie… He lived just down the street, was a year or two under Steve and Buck, and an adorable fellow. “Buck always assumed that he was gay.”

“He wasn’t. Steve, you should have seen him, he was one hell of a guy, protective of Lizzie and the girls like you wouldn’t believe and such a wonderful father… A guy like George I might have married”, she smiled. “But that guy, who promised to make an honest woman out of me if we both were still single by 35 just had to dive an airplane into the ocean, didn't he?”

“Oh my”, Steve laughed, “I did promise that, didn’t I?” After he caught his breath again, he smiled over at her. “Well, I can’t help but notice that we are both over 35 and still single…”

“Steven Grant Rogers.” He braced himself for being cussed at for such a ridiculous comment, when she raised her eyebrow. “If you think that this counts as a proposal you are sorely mistaken.”

“Wait, what?” His eyes went big as he tried to comprehend what she just insinuated.

“I might be a badass lawyer, but I’m also a romantic woman”, she continued, keeping their eyes locked. “So, until you go down on one knee, don’t expect me to even consider it.”

Huh. “Alright…” He cleared his throat and took a deep breath before smiling at her again. “Duly noted.”

“Good. Then, how about you escort me back to the home? I should be back for lunch.”

“Of course, my lady.” Steve got up and held his arm out to her and together they walked back through the garden to the home’s dining room, where they were greeted by some curious looks.

“My, Rebecca, who’s your friend?”, one lady asked, looking Steve up and down, which only made him a tad uncomfortable.

“That’s Steve”, she explained as he helped her into her chair. “You could say I’ve known him my whole life.”

* * *

Steve came by almost every day. He was offered a small apartment in Brooklyn, only a few streets from where she lived; it was like back when they were young. With the difference, that them meeting went over a lot calmer and quieter; they mostly spend their days out in the park or in her room, talking, catching up.

“So, my dear”, Steve smiled, as they sat out on a bench on lovely Tuesday afternoon, enjoying the sun beaming down on them, “I have made a promise to you, a long time ago. And well, I am a man of my word.” He searched his pocket and got up, before kneeling in front of her and holding out a simple silver band with a red gem on top.

Rebecca was speechless, which was quite the unusual feeling for her, as Steve took her hand. “Rebecca Dorothy Barnes, would you do me the honours of becoming Mrs Rebecca Dorothy Rogers?”

“Steve… you punk are impossible”, she smiled and nodded happily. “Yes, I would love for you to become Steven Grant Barnes.”

With a laugh he put the perfectly fitting ring on her finger and nuzzled into an embrace.

“If Bucky could see us now”, she laughed, “he’d be so jealous!” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. “I always assumed he’d be the one Barnes you’d put a ring on.”

“Yeah…” Steve softly stroked her hand. “Wait.” He stilled suddenly, turning to her with wide eyes. “You… You knew?”

“Of course I do”, she chuckled, “I know my two idiots after all.” She looked up at him with an encouraging smile. “I don’t know when it happened that your friendship turned into more, and I also don’t know if you two ever were together, but know that I support you.”

“Thanks”, he sighed, clearly relieved.

“At least you're gonne be a Barnes, one way or another.”

“Well, first of all, I was under the impression I became an official Barnes the day Buck adopted me in... fourth grade I think it was. But more importantly, you are not some leftover, because I can't marry your brother. I could not wish for a more awesome, fierce and beautiful bride.”

“Aw, Stevie”, she cooed and, to keep from blushing too much, she cupped his face and put a soft kiss on his forehead.

“Besides, you'll look so much more lovely in a wedding dress than Buck ever could.”

* * *

The visits became a little unregularly, once Steve became an Avenger. And here Rebecca was, thinking her worrying about that boy had ended with the second world war, but no, he was back in uniform, fighting aliens and so many more unimaginable things.

“You are my fiancé”, she scolded him, “I do not appreciate you putting me through this torture again!”

“I know. It’s my job, though.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Softly, she stroked the bruise on his face.

“At least we won.” Steve offered her a shy smile and damnit, that just got her every time. “Fine. You are forgiven.”

“Phew…”, he grinned. “And I promise to do my best to always come back, alright?”

“You made that promise once before”, she reminded him of the last time they had seen each other, back in the forties.

“And I kept it, didn't I?” With a skew grin he tried to mask the pain of his memories, but Rebecca knew him well enough to see right through it.

“This time 'round I might not have 70 years to wait for you anymore”, she just shrugged and went to inspect his bruised and battered arm. Sure, some of this country's best doctors had taken care of Steve, but she was damned if she didn't properly look after her fiancé.

“Never say nev... OUCH!”, he cried out, when she got a little too close to a particularly bad bruise.

“Wuss”, she just scoffed. It did look extremely painful though. Whatever those Alien-robots had been doing to the Avengers, it was effective. As aware as she had been all these years, in this moment she knew it more so than ever before: she couldn't live through mourning him a second time. “Promise me something else”, she asked of him.

“Anything.”

“Promise me not to die again. I don't care if you come back again or not, but do not make me mourn you, not one more damn time. You got that?”

“Yes”, he nodded and squeezed her hands. “I promise.”

* * *

“Hey Becca.” Steve put his head through her door and smiled at his fiancée.

“Steve”, she sighed and waved him over. “Come on in.”

He stayed in the door. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Are you finally marrying me?” Not that they were ever going to be married. It was however one of the greatest joys of her last few years and months, to have their fun with a promise they had long outlived.

“Better.” He opened the door wider and pulled someone in after him. All she could see at first was long, brown hair; when it was brushed away, her heart skipped a beat. “Wha…”

“Hey Becca”, her brother smiled and after a push from Steve, he walked over to her bed.

“James? Is that…” With all the strength she had left, she pushed herself up, Bucky holding out a hand, helping her sit up.

“Yeah”, he smiled and immediately the siblings were in a tight hug. “I missed you.”

“I missed you more”, she cried, holding tight onto him out of fear he’d disappear again if she let go.

Eventually, they did break apart; his face just as tearstained as hers; from the corner of her eye she saw Steve wiping the tears off his cheek.

“I love you, James.”

“I love you more.” He took her hands in his and softly kissed them; until his eye fell on the ring on her finger. “Hold up.” He straightened himself out and looked from Becca to Steve, back to his sister. “Steve told me about Ruthie, about Lizzie, but he never mentioned you being married… Please tell me you didn’t marry Arthur Thompson.”

Yup, there was her big brother, protective of Becca and the guys courting her. “I did not”, she clarified and smiled at Steve. “So, you didn’t tell him. Interesting.”

“Didn't tell me what?”

Steve turned a few shades redder and cautiously walked over, sitting himself besides the siblings. “Well...”

Buck held his hand up to shush Steve and turned back to Becca, who couldn't suppress the wide grin any more. “Seriously?”

“Back in the day he promised to marry me if I were still single by 35. I was still single by 88, so, being a man of his word, he proposed to me.”

After a short moment of silence, James just burst out laughing. Until now, Becca hadn't even realized how much she'd missed that sound and was happier than she ever thought she could be that she got to hear it again. “You guys are impossible... Did you get married?”

“Unfortunately, Captain America over there was too busy saving the world”, she commented with a roll of her eyes.

“Of course...”, he scoffed before turning towards Steve. “You better do right by my sister or I'll go all Winter Soldier on your pretty behind.”

“What's Winter Soldier?”

The way both Steve and James' faces dropped at her question, left her to be sure that it was nothing good.

“Nothing you need to worry about”, Steve smiled. “But Buck is right. I made a promise that I'd like to keep. What do you say, doll?”

“That I am not the one to make an honest man of you”, she answered with a warm smile. Steve and Bucky always were the dream team. And now that fate had given them a second chance, it was not on her to stand in their way.

“You met somebody else?” With wide eyes, James turned back to Steve. “Are you cheating on my little sister?”

“Of course not!”, he defended himself, “I would never!”

“I should hope so”, Buck grumbled and turned back to Becca. He took her hands back in his and softly brushed his thumb over her fingers. “I know that punk over there didn't ask me, but you two would have my blessing.”

“Aw, sweetheart!”, Becca smiled and pulled him into a hug. “And you two have mine”, she whispered into his ear. By the way he jumped, it was probably not what he had expected to hear from her.

“What?”, he choked out with wide, unblinking eyes.

“You heard me.”

“Heard what?” A little confused, Steve looked between the two of them.

“Nothing”, Bucky was quick to answer, blushing just enough for Becca to know that the past eighty years didn't change too much.

She smiled up at Bucky. “Just hurry, I'd like to see you get it sorted out and I don't think I have too much time left.”

“No, please don't say that! I just came back!” The insinuation about Buck and Steve's relationship was forgotten, as the tears filled his eyes once more.

“It's only fair. I had to mourn you, too.”

“Yeah, but you're stronger than me and Stevie put together...”

“Now that's some bull”, she laughed and took Steve's hand in her free one. “You two are gonna be fine. You got each other and that got you through the war, it'll get you through living in the 21st century.” Looking from one of her boys to the other, both with tears in their eyes, she got emotional as well. “Stop crying, you two. You know that when you cry, I'll start as well.”

“Sorry”, Steve chuckled and wiped his eyes.

“I'm not”, Buck made clear. “I love my pain-in-the-ass little sister.”

“I should hope so”, Becca laughed and, with the boys' help, she lay back in her bed. All that excitement was just a little too much, and maybe a nap would do her good.

She wasn't afraid to close her eyes, either; her two boys barely left her side and whenever she woke up they sat next to her. With Steve's celebrity status, nobody made too many problems for them ignoring all rules of visitation hours. They even stopped going on missions and as little as she would want to keep either from doing their jobs, Becca was eternally grateful not having to worry about them.

It took about two weeks for the boys to get their heads out of their asses and finally admit to the other how they felt and walked into her room hand in hand.

“Please tell me this means what I hope it means”, she sighed.

“Yeah, it does”, Buck grinned, his cheeks flushing a bit and looking over at Steve who had the biggest heart eyes.

“Finally”, Becca smiled. “Now I can die in peace.”

  
  



End file.
